jcage89
New member
I had a Proclip phone mount setup which worked great in my '06Sport that I just sold with a bolt-on bracket that situated the phone in the joint between the glove and the the climate controls with the holder facing the driver seat. This is ideal for me because I don't like my phone in my face when I'm driving but do want it easily visible and within reach to use while stopped. I also don't like suction cups and such. Unfortunately, the Gen5 interior is different and Proclip doesn't make a mount that will work in my new TRD Pro like in my '06 sport.
I have been searching posts here and found the RamMount to be popular. People here have shown many ways to mount it from a clip on to a mount on the floor in the passenger seat foot and none of these are ideal for my preference. I did find a post that linked a write-up by Trail4R.com here...
https://trail4runner.com/2018/01/23/4runner-phone-mount-5th-gen/
and associated Youtube by SnailTrail4x4 here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=730MzCb1qfA
Credit for this great idea and write-up goes to these guys BUT it still wasn't ideal for me because (1) it puts the phone right in your face up by the wheel but also of concern to me (2) you are drilling into a piece of plastic trim that is actually not available by itself according to multiple parts distributors. This location shown in the Youtube is actually a trim piece only available as part of the nav/head unit assembly and only replaceable by purchasing that whole assembly at an insanely high cost if you ever want to revert this install and go back to stock.
So this writeup did give me the idea that I could probably do the same thing but situate the mount over by the glove like in my '06Sport with the Proclip mount. Ichecked the location with the RamMOunt and noticed there was room and actually the glove door on my new TRD Pro is notched right there which allows the glove to open and clear the arm on the Ram Mount. Also all button/knobs are still easily accessible and the setup doesn't get in the way of a passenger sitting in the front seat.
With this in mind, I researched the plastic trim piece (right side pillar) which is super easy to remove just by carefully pulling away from the console. And this part (Finish Panel 55012-35050-C0) is available online for about $75 if you care to purchase a spare and be able to later UNDO the install.
Here is pictures of what I did (note that I used the exact same Ram Mount and mounting bracket parts detailed in the links above so I won't repeat them)....
First I lined everything up where I wanted it and made sure it didn't interfere with the glove door. I market the location with a piece of painter's tape.
Next I got a little furniture foot glide sticky thing and put it on the inside of the drill location to approximate the size of the head of the bolt and washers to check that it cleared the console frame parts when I put the trim piece back on.
After lining everything up and confirming the fit, I drilledsmall pilot and then enlarged to fit the bolt just like in the video. Again CAREFULLY and SLOWLY because it's just soft plastic.
Then just simply bolt in the mount through the trim piece (I used a lock washer in mine in addition to the same washer they used in the video) and put it back together.
Here it is with my phone the way I like it and been driving around for a week this way so super solid and works great for me.
Here shows how the glove door notch clears the mount arm.
Hope this variation on the idea of others helps even more of you and thanks for all of your great feedback and ideas that I get here all of the time.
Cheers and Happy 4th to you all!
:bowl:JC
I have been searching posts here and found the RamMount to be popular. People here have shown many ways to mount it from a clip on to a mount on the floor in the passenger seat foot and none of these are ideal for my preference. I did find a post that linked a write-up by Trail4R.com here...
https://trail4runner.com/2018/01/23/4runner-phone-mount-5th-gen/
and associated Youtube by SnailTrail4x4 here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=730MzCb1qfA
Credit for this great idea and write-up goes to these guys BUT it still wasn't ideal for me because (1) it puts the phone right in your face up by the wheel but also of concern to me (2) you are drilling into a piece of plastic trim that is actually not available by itself according to multiple parts distributors. This location shown in the Youtube is actually a trim piece only available as part of the nav/head unit assembly and only replaceable by purchasing that whole assembly at an insanely high cost if you ever want to revert this install and go back to stock.
So this writeup did give me the idea that I could probably do the same thing but situate the mount over by the glove like in my '06Sport with the Proclip mount. Ichecked the location with the RamMOunt and noticed there was room and actually the glove door on my new TRD Pro is notched right there which allows the glove to open and clear the arm on the Ram Mount. Also all button/knobs are still easily accessible and the setup doesn't get in the way of a passenger sitting in the front seat.
With this in mind, I researched the plastic trim piece (right side pillar) which is super easy to remove just by carefully pulling away from the console. And this part (Finish Panel 55012-35050-C0) is available online for about $75 if you care to purchase a spare and be able to later UNDO the install.
Here is pictures of what I did (note that I used the exact same Ram Mount and mounting bracket parts detailed in the links above so I won't repeat them)....
First I lined everything up where I wanted it and made sure it didn't interfere with the glove door. I market the location with a piece of painter's tape.
Next I got a little furniture foot glide sticky thing and put it on the inside of the drill location to approximate the size of the head of the bolt and washers to check that it cleared the console frame parts when I put the trim piece back on.
After lining everything up and confirming the fit, I drilledsmall pilot and then enlarged to fit the bolt just like in the video. Again CAREFULLY and SLOWLY because it's just soft plastic.
Then just simply bolt in the mount through the trim piece (I used a lock washer in mine in addition to the same washer they used in the video) and put it back together.
Here it is with my phone the way I like it and been driving around for a week this way so super solid and works great for me.
Here shows how the glove door notch clears the mount arm.
Hope this variation on the idea of others helps even more of you and thanks for all of your great feedback and ideas that I get here all of the time.
Cheers and Happy 4th to you all!
:bowl:JC
